New NFL Rule Changes Come From Owners' Meeting

The new overtime rules -- debuted last year in the playoffs -- are enacted full-time. (Mark Botham/Creative Commons)

At the NFL owners' meeting in Palm Beach, Fla., team owners voted to make a few changes to the NFL rule book. Here is a look at the rules that were passed, rejected, and tabled to be addressed at a later time.

Passed:

Playoff overtime rules will now be applied to regular season games. Now, a team can not simply kick a field goal to clinch a win in the opening possession of overtime. Should such a scenario occur, the opposing team will get the chance to respond with a drive of their own.

If a player kicks a loose ball and is flagged for it, his team will be penalized with a loss of a down. This rule is being adopted from college football.

The NFL has also chosen to add college football's rule for too many men on the field. If a team has too many men on te offensive side of the ball and is lined up for more than three seconds, a dead ball penalty of five yards will be applied. On the defensive side, too many men on the field, combined with an imminent snap, will result in a penalty.

The previously implemented "defenseless player rule" has been expanded to protect defensive players on crackback blocks, making hits on the head or neck illegal.

Turnovers will now be automatically reviewed via instant replay, just like scoring plays. Now, coaches will no longer have to challenge questionable turnovers.

Roster rules for teams playing on Thanksgiving or Christmas have been modified. Teams playing at night on either of these days can now make roster changes prior to 4 p.m. Eastern Time.

Failed:

Giving the booth official authority to determine replay reviews, in place of the referee on the field.

Removing the exception in the horse-collar tackle rule that allows defensive players to bring down a quarterback by the back of his shoulder pads or the inside of his jersey.

Tabled (Likely to be discussed when the owners meet again in May):

Proposal to move the trade deadline from Week 6 to Week 8.

Proposal to expand the roster limit in training camp from 80 to 90 players. Unsigned draft picks would count against this limit, unlike before.

Proposal to move the final day for roster cuts before games up to Friday night, instead of Saturday.

Proposal to add an injured reserve exemption to allow a player that is on the roster for Week 1 to be placed on injured reserve and be designated for a return at a later date. The player can return to practice six weeks later and play in a game eight weeks later, rather than be out for the entire season.

Proposal to add one roster exemption each week for a player who is ruled inactive because of a concussion.